1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to methods, apparatuses and articles of manufacture for use by a mobile device to affect at least one positioning function based, at least in part, on a recommended candidate position fix mode received from another electronic device for use in a particular region of an environment.
2. Information
The global positioning system (GPS) and other like satellite positioning systems (SPSs) have enabled positioning and navigation services for mobile devices in outdoor environments. Since satellite signals may not be reliably received and hence acquired in an indoor environment, different wireless signal-based positioning techniques may be employed to enable navigation services. For example, mobile devices may seek to obtain a position fix by estimating ranges to one or more terrestrial-based wireless network access point devices, which are positioned at known locations, based on one or more wireless signals acquired from and/or exchanged with the transmitting devices. Such ranges may be measured, for example, by obtaining a MAC ID address or other like information that may be used to identify a location of the transmitting device from wireless signals acquired from such transmitting devices, and measuring one or more characteristics of the wireless signals, such as, for example, a received signal strength (RSSI), a round trip time (RTT), just to name a few examples, which may used to estimate a distance to a transmitting device.
In certain instances, a positioning function within a mobile device may process certain measurements obtained while the mobile device is in one particular environment differently than for other measurements obtained while the mobile device was in a different environment. As such, it may be useful for a mobile device to know the type of environment it may be located in, e.g., indoor versus outdoor. Furthermore, as may be appreciated, there may be different types of indoor environments, such as, e.g., shielded versus unshielded, multi-level versus single-level, etc., which may correspond to different signaling, measurements, processes, etc. Likewise, there may be different types of outdoor environments, such as, e.g., outdoor environments served by a global SPS (GNSS), outdoor environments that may be served by a global SPS and also a regional SPS (e.g., China's Beidou regional system, the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS), etc.).
However, as may be appreciated, it may be difficult at times for a mobile device to determine how or when to attempt to perform certain signal-based positioning techniques.